Michael Esper, Bobby Steggert, et al. Set for Playwrights Horizons' ASSISTANCE

Playwrights Horizons just announced complete casting for the New York premiere of ASSISTANCE, a new play by Leslye Headland (Bachelorette). Directed by Trip Cullman (A Small Fire, The Drunken City and Manic Flight Reaction at Playwrights Horizons, Bachelorette), the production will begin previews Friday, February 3 at 8PM with an Opening Night set for Tuesday, February 28 at 7PM. The limited engagement will play through Sunday, March 11 at Playwrights Horizons' Mainstage Theater (416 West 42nd Street).

The cast will feature Michael Esper (American Idiot, The Lyons, The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide…, PH's Crazy Mary and Manic Flight Reaction), Sue Jean Kim (PH's The Drunken City and BFE), Virginia Kull (Man and Boy, Dividing the Estate, Old Acquaintance), Lucas Near-Verbrugghe (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, The Ritz), Amy Rosoff (the world premiere of Leslye Headland's "Seven Deadly Plays" series, "Boardwalk Empire") and Tony Award nominee Bobby Steggert (Ragtime, 110 in the Shade, A Minister's Wife, Yank!, PH's Saved).

For these young assistants, life is an endless series of humiliations at the hands of their hellacious boss, a powerful uber-magnate. In rare moments of calm when the phone calls stop rolling, Nick (Mr. Esper) and Nora (Ms. Kull) and their traumatized co-workers question whether all their work will lead to success - or just more work. Leslye Headland's ASSISTANCE is a biting, high-octane satire about our attraction to power and what we're willing to sacrifice to stay in its orbit.

ASSISTANCE will feature scenic design by David Korins, costume design by Jessica Pabst, lighting design by Ben Stanton and sound design by Jill BC Du Boff. Production Stage Manager is Kyle Gates. Choreography is by Jeffry Denman.

The performance schedule for ASSISTANCE will be Tuesdays at 7PM, Wednesdays through Fridays at 8PM, Saturdays at 2:30 PM & 8PM and Sundays at 2:30 PM & 7:30 PM, with an additional Monday evening performance on February 27 at 7PM. Single tickets, $70, will go on sale to the general public beginning Tuesday, January 10 and may be purchased online via www.TicketCentral.com, by phone at

(212) 279-4200 (Noon-8pm daily), or in person at the Ticket Central Box Office, 416 West 42nd Street (between Ninth & Tenth Avenues).

Three special performances of ASSISTANCE will offer PLAYTIME!, the new program offering affordable, professional childcare while patrons see a show. PLAYTIME! is free to Playwrights Horizons subscribers and available to non-subscribers for a flat fee of $15 per child. PLAYTIME! care will be offered during the following three performances: Sunday matinee, February 12 at 2:30 PM; Saturday evening, March 3 at 8PM; and Sunday matinee, March 11 at 2:30 PM. After tickets for ASSISTANCE have been purchased (through Ticket Central), PLAYTIME! childcare reservations should be made in advance online at www.PlaytimeNYC.org. This program is supported by funds from the City of New York Theater Subdistrict Council, LDC and the City of New York, Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Elroy and Terry Krumholz Foundation.

A ticketing initiative created as part of Playwrights Horizons' Arts Access program, LIVEforFIVE makes available $5 tickets for the first preview performance of each Playwrights Horizons production through a lottery via the company's website. The LIVEforFIVE lottery for ASSISTANCE will be for tickets to the first preview on Friday, February 3 at 8PM. Details for the lottery are as follows: beginning Wednesday, January 25 at 10AM, theatergoers can enter the lottery by filling out an entry form at www.PlaywrightsHorizons.org. Entries will be accepted until Monday, January 30 at 12 Noon. Winners of the lottery will be notified via email no later than 3PM on Monday, January 30 with instructions on how to book their $5 tickets. Unclaimed tickets will be offered via email starting at 12 Noon on Tuesday, January 31 on a first-come, first-served basis. One or two tickets may be purchased for $5 each. At least 50 tickets will be available for Mainstage shows via the lottery.

Reflecting Playwrights Horizons' ongoing commitment to making its productions more affordable to younger audiences, the theater company will offer HOTtix, $25 rush tickets, subject to availability, day of performance only, starting one hour before showtime to patrons aged 30 and under. Proof of age required. One ticket per person, per purchase. STUDENT RUSH, $15 rush tickets, subject to availability, day of performance only, starting one hour before curtain to full-time graduate and undergraduate students. One ticket per person, per purchase. Valid student ID required.

LIVEforFIVE, HOTtix and STUDENT RUSH are some of Playwrights Horizons' popular Arts Access initiatives, which allow the institution to reach out to those who may not be able to afford the cost of a full-price theater ticket. This program is supported, in part, by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and The McGraw-Hill Companies.

Two membership packages to Playwrights Horizons' current 2011/2012 season are currently available: FlexPass (4+ tickets, $45-50 per ticket); and Membership ($55 membership fee + one ticket at $40 or less for each show, as desired). In addition, the company continues to offer 30&Under Membership ($20 membership fee + one $20 ticket for each show, as desired); and Student Membership ($10 membership fee + one $10 ticket for each show, as desired). In addition to discounts on all season attractions, subscribers receive priority booking and seating, ticket exchange privileges, parking and dining discounts, and exclusive mailings of Playwrights Horizons Bulletins. Packages are available at www.TicketCentral.com.

Playwrights Horizons' season productions are generously supported in part by The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Playwrights Horizons is supported in part by public funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, the New York State Council on the Arts and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. In addition, Playwrights Horizons receives major support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Time Warner Inc., the Charina Endowment Fund and the Peter Jay Sharp Foundation.

Following ASSISTANCE, Playwrights Horizons' 2011/2012 Season will continue with THE BIG MEAL, the New York premiere of a new play by Dan LeFranc, directed by Obie Award winner Sam Gold; and RAPTURE, BLISTER, BURN, the World Premiere of a new play by Pulitzer Prize finalist and Obie Award winner Gina Gionfriddo, directed by Peter DuBois.

For subscription and ticket information to all Playwrights Horizons productions, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200, Noon to 8 pm daily, or purchase online at the Ticket Central website at www.TicketCentral.org.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/WM Photos